This invention generally relates to devices for identifying persons by way of a portable memory medium, such as a card with memory. More particularly, the invention relates to portable memory media that provide automatic language selection for use with an interface in devices that identify persons by way of the portable memory media.
Since the inception of public automated teller machines (ATMs), the number of ATMs in existence has increased dramatically. ATMs can be found not only on bank premises, but in airports, grocery stores, convenience stores, drive-through kiosks, etc. In addition, ATM users have experienced an additional convenience provided by many ATM machines that allows ATM users to use ATMs abroad, in countries other than which the ATM user""s account is based. For example, a person who has an ATM card for accessing accounts at a banking institution in the United States may be able to withdraw cash from an ATM machine in an airport in Tokyo.
However, this convenience does not come without a tradeoff. An American who wishes to use the ATM machine in Tokyo may only speak English, which will probably make it impossible for the American to use the machine. Even if the machine provides a choice of languages, e.g., Japanese or English, a question allowing the user to choose the desired language will most likely be presented in the language of the country in which the ATM machine is located. In this example, the question of whether the user would like Japanese or English will probably be presented in Japanese. Unless the English-speaking user can recognize enough Japanese to understand the question and the appropriate answer to the question, the user may be unable to use the machine.
Systems and methods are described herein for automatically selecting a language desired by a user of a machine that utilizes an interactive interface, such as an automated teller machine, by pre-programming a portable memory medium.
When a portable memory medium is issued to a user, certain personal data is stored on the portable memory medium. The portable memory medium may be in the form of a card having some type of memory, such as a magnetic strip, an integrated circuit (IC) or the like.
When a user initially provides the personal data that is stored on such a portable memory medium, the user also provides a preferred language identifier. The preferred language identifier is read by the system providing the interactive interface and the interface is provided to the user in the language of the user""s choosing. For example, if a user specifies that all such transactions are preferred to be in English, the preferred language identifier associated with English is stored on the portable memory medium. When the portable memory medium is inserted into the system providing the interface, the system reads the preferred language identifier and provides the user interface in the language associated with the preferred language identifierxe2x80x94in this case, English.
If the preferred language is unavailable in a particular system, the system reverts to a default language. Alternatively, the portable memory medium may also store a secondary preferred language identifier that identifies a secondary language to be used in the event that the preferred language identifier is unavailable.